beef price tracker

orm0nd

rangler1 wrote: »

There's thousands of cattle going across factory scales and graders....if there was a problem, no one would be selling to the factory, I never have any problem with the lambs weights and grades.
A lot of unnecessary paranoia out there about it[/QUOTE]


yep but you're a regular supplier, and a member of the largest PG in the 26 counties, you also have your own man on the slaughter line,

try sending a trailer load of lambs to one of the other factories and come back and tell us how you get on,

been there, done that and have the scars to show

Farmer Pudsey

rangler1 wrote: »

There's thousands of cattle going across factory scales and graders....if there was a problem, no one would be selling to the factory, I never have any problem with the lambs weights and grades.
A lot of unnecessary paranoia out there about it

I tell a little story of paranoia. It actually relates to a lamb factory. This happened when Lamb first climbed away from the 70-80 euro/lamb about 5-6 years ago I think. Friend of mine Paddy had ewes killed and out of ten 3 were rejected and skipped. Now this lad was from Kerry, nearest sheep factory's are all over 100 miles away.

He and another farmers had noticed that the kill had been way ahead and that lamb would be scarse and had decided to finish there lambs that year. As he said they were the best ewes he ever killed as two weeks later they had 150 lambs going to factory I think. They got a flaking price at the time.

However Paddy was edgy and insisted to the other farmer that they would follow the lambs up the country. Other lad was easy about it but paddy insisted that there was too much money at stake. They arrived at the factory and helped unload the lambs and followed them down the line. After about 5-6 lambs one was rejected by the line manager/vet (whoever I do not know) Paddy could see clearly that he had a damaged shoulder. But at about no 15 second was rejected with nothing wrong in Paddy eyes. He informed the line manager that any lamb rejected was to be bagged and they would carry them home themselves. factory man enquired what he would do with them and paddy said he had a large family. Now in his younger days Paddy worked as a butcher and had a fair knowledge of carcasses.

No other lamb was rejected after that some more had the odd mark. Paddy said they wanted them lambs but if they could get away without paying for them they would. Paddy was paranoid I do not know if he was right. IHO of he was not there he taught that they would not have been paid for at least 20 of the lambs. On the way home his friend who had driven his car up told him to take the two lambs in the back even though they were both his as he said he have lost them anyway. He had the bigger share on the lorry about 70% of the load if I remember right.

Paddy was paranoid. I tend to be as well.

Duke92

blue5000 wrote: »

Where do you normally sell?

Mostly abp sometimes kepak and moyvalley

rangler1

orm0nd wrote: »

rangler1 wrote: »

There's thousands of cattle going across factory scales and graders....if there was a problem, no one would be selling to the factory, I never have any problem with the lambs weights and grades.
A lot of unnecessary paranoia out there about it[/QUOTE]


yep but you're a regular supplier, and a member of the largest PG in the 26 counties, you also have your own man on the slaughter line,

try sending a trailer load of lambs to one of the other factories and come back and tell us how you get on,

been there, done that and have the scars to show

I've sold plenty of cattle to Moyvalley and Athleague up to 2005..never a problem.
Also I do know that I'd take a hit of 25-35c/kg on fat score 5 lambs plus a weight limit as well. The factories have to penalise hard for stock that they find hard to sell, it's not fair on the people that do it right if they don't

Duke92

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

You have lead a very sheltered life if you have never been screwed by a factory at some stage. We have all been done at some stage. Have never send cattle to Moyvally and have heard no story's about it. Gennerally it is non regular customers that get screwed. It is generally when they get a super price.

Happened to me a few years back, sold a large batch 20 bulls and 12 bullocks. This factory wanted the bulls for the Spanish market at the time. Price was 6p/lb better than local and they were supposed to pick up half the haulage. They did but they deducted it from my cheque.

Bulls all graded R's no U's at the time U's were got easier than now and wewight were back as well. Bullocks graded ok but weight were brutal. had kill some out of same batch earlier because of age and weight was no comparsion. No satisfaction to be got as carcasses were shipped.

A few years later went to buy a tractor up the country and got talking to the farmer selling again a non regular customer and same story and when he wanted to get them regraded same story.



There is no machine with a chip in it that cannot be reprogrammed. Look at the way cars are tuned. These are not exactly rocket technology. Was a factory in SE caught at it a few years ago had they not to pay a fine and give back money on cattle etc. They were also done for over trimming



Behaviour is the big thing changing rules and pricing structures. It amazes me how accidently they can do it at the same time. Yet we have never seen the CA look at them. Trim is a huge issue as well. Take earlier that some poster made the point about the 5/head insurance being compulsory wonder do they include all cattle loads of factory's are now stopping insurance on anything that has even a slight limp.

There is no trust and it understandable. Lately I see local factory hammering fat score 5- with an 18c penalty above 4+, Really hits the price of the animal expecially for lads that lose QA as well. Saw a lad with a bunch of heifers hammered lately.

Never said I hadn't been screwed just that I never had a problem there
I couldn't say a lot about roscrea or wouldn't send a good steer to dawn only go there if I had friesians at a flat price or cows.

Duke92

TUBBY wrote: »

Read my post please. I didn't say Moyvalley in particular. What i said was when people complain about a factory, the issue is killout or grade basically.

how many cattle did you weigh and kill there for that 54% killout average. To dismiss a good few posters who actually mentioned that factory, you must kill a hell of a lot of cattle there with no issues.

Yep sorry

locha

Any update on prices this week? Am getting quoted 4.20 for steers on the grid, reckon there is more to be got.

blue5000

locha wrote: »

Any update on prices this week? Am getting quoted 4.20 for steers on the grid, reckon there is more to be got.

I think there is 10c/kg lift this week. Anybody get quotes for heifers?

locha

not in the heifer business but was talking to a fella at the weekend who was getting 4.35 flat

Robson99

blue5000 wrote: »

I think there is 10c/kg lift this week. Anybody get quotes for heifers?

Heifers same as last week [ 4.30 ] with a 10 cent cut on carcasses above 400kgs. Amazing how they can move the goalposts any way any time

farawaygrass

Anyone send off cull cows lately? Price on the info is 350-365 for o's and 370 to 385 for r's, which is a big difference.

Nettleman

Duke92 wrote: »

Yep sorry

If lads knew that the scales / grading machines were being independently verified with on the spot (no notice) inspections by a body independent likes "Weights and measure"/ like petrol pumps are, lads might have more confidence in the system. verification by DAFM is not independent enough, imo anyways, as they have vets in these places every day.

Nettleman

Robson99 wrote: »

Heifers same as last week [ 4.30 ] with a 10 cent cut on carcasses above 400kgs. Amazing how they can move the goalposts any way any time

I cant understand this ****e- was there not agreement that weight restrictions/ penalties were gone until end of 2015, or am I wrong??

smokey-fitz

Nettleman wrote: »

I cant understand this ****e- was there not agreement that weight restrictions/ penalties were gone until end of 2015, or am I wrong??

Taught so myself. But sure who is going to stop them. Its not like the agreement included penalties for factories if they broke it.

eddiek

how do ye think the trade for steers will go for the next few weeks bearing in mind its been on an upward trend for the past couple of months/

Willfarman

eddiek wrote: »

how do ye think the trade for steers will go for the next few weeks bearing in mind its been on an upward trend for the past couple of months/

Talk of kill going to fall back a bit coming to march so a bit of a rise to come yet. 4.30 a kg for steers and 4.40 heifers will probably catch the height of it until mid April. It's then the the job will peak.

MfMan

Any heads-up for next week?

Hershall

MfMan wrote: »

Any heads-up for next week?

4.10 for bks and 4.20 for heifers is what I'm being told! !!

locha

A pull on at the moment. For steers got two quotes 4.15 and 4.10 base.

Willfarman

locha wrote: »

A pull on at the moment. For steers got two quotes 4.15 and 4.10 base.

A pull is being attempted. 4.15 is everywhere. They are trying to back up a few cattle for Monday next week for some reason. Bxtards.

davidk1394

Bulls going tomorrow to dawn in waterford 3.90 for O's and 4.00 for R

Farmer Pudsey

Looks like they are going to attempt a pull late this week or early next week. Or else they will try to back up cattle and start booking them in 2-3 weeks in advance. This usually stops prices rises for a while and allow them to control the kill for ages.

While the kill is high it may not suit them as numbers not on there side this year. Last of my cattle that I held last Oct/Nov are booked in for this week.There may be a lot of finished cattle out there with good silage and cheap barley. With protein highish in silage, barley is good enough by itself for last 8-10 weeks.

Dairy farmers that fatten cattle are now offloading and bulk of kill coming on stream. Cattle housed in early November will be hitting 110 days and go off the boil if on high ration diet. Cattle housed in October on 5-7 kgs and silage going off the boil as well now.

Processors have being killing at a steady rate for last 3-4 weeks on the assumption cattle would run out now they may have chills that are fairly full and may wish to slow kill.

Willfarman

I don't think its a pull really, just an attempt to apply the brakes. Might be no harm in that as the store trade is a runaway train at the minute.

blue5000

davidk1394 wrote: »

Bulls going tomorrow to dawn in waterford 3.90 for O's and 4.00 for R

How did it go?

davidk1394

blue5000 wrote: »

How did it go?

The kiwi was an O+ 2- at a carcass weight od 360.. freisan R- 2= and a carcass of 380 and the AA R- 3- and a carcass of 370

just do it

davidk1394 wrote: »

The kiwi was an O+ 2- at a carcass weight od 360.. freisan R- 2= and a carcass of 380 and the AA R- 3- and a carcass of 370

What was their diet for finishing?

blue5000

The kiwi was a 2-, were you cut for that?

davidk1394

just do it wrote: »

What was their diet for finishing?

Ad lib meal.. mainly made up of maize on pea straw fir bedding

Farmer Pudsey

davidk1394 wrote: »

The kiwi was an O+ 2- at a carcass weight od 360.. freisan R- 2= and a carcass of 380 and the AA R- 3- and a carcass of 370

Good weights but surprised by fat cover considering weight. I have considered that the kiwi being a smaller framed than the Friesians would at that weight be hitting FS 3 especially on ad lib meal. Were they being fed for long

davidk1394

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Good weights but surprised by fat cover considering weight. I have considered that the kiwi being a smaller framed than the Friesians would at that weight be hitting FS 3 especially on ad lib meal. Were they being fed for long

They were being fed since the 2nd week of November